Drone strikes kill 16 ‘IS militants’ near Pak-Afghan border

PESHAWAR: At least six 16 suspected militants were killed Friday in two separate US drone strikes in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, on the zero line bordering Khyber Agency.

Security sources said the first drone targeted a militant compound in the Nazyan district of Nangarhar province, killing six suspected militants and completely destroying their compound.

The sources added that all the six ‘militants’ belonged to the self-styled Islamic State (IS) group in Afghanistan.

Later in the day, a drone targeted a hideout in Bandar area of Nangarhar. Security sources said the drone fired two missiles, killing 10 suspected militants, all of whom they said belonged to the IS.

Till 2014, Nazyan district had been serving as a safe haven for the Mullah Fazllullah led Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

According to security officials, militants based in the Nazyan district had planned the devastating attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar, which left over 140 children and teachers dead and scores injured.

Pakistani security forces also carried out ground offensives in Khyber Agency, particularly the Tirah Valley of Bara which borders Nazyan.

The forces cleared much of the Bara plain in Operation Khyber One launched in October 2014 while in a follow-on operation named Khyber-2 clearec the fierce Tirah terrain consisting of deep valleys and high mountains.